Fountain grass ‘Karley Rose’

Common name: Fountain grass ‘Karley Rose’

* Botanical name: Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’

* What it is: A compact, perennial ornamental grass that gets thumb-sized, foxtail seed heads of a smoky pink/lavender color from June to frost. Blades turn yellow in fall. “De-flops” well after a rain.

* Size: 3 feet tall and wide.

* Where to use: Sunny borders, perennial gardens or any sunny island garden. Full sun to light shade.

* Care: Scatter organic granular fertilizer such as Plant-tone or Turf-tone around base in March. Let foliage stand through winter and cut it to a stub at winter’s end. Clump can be dug and divided into softball-sized pieces if center begins to die out or you want additional plants.

* Great partner: Purple coneflowers or shrub roses.